The Skeptic and the Rabbi: Falling in Love with Faith

Written by Judy Gruen

Narrated by Susanna Burney

As Judy Gruen walked down the aisle and into her Orthodox Jewish future, her bouquet quivered in her shaky hand. Having grown up in the zeitgeist that proclaimed, “If it feels good, do it,” was she really ready to live the life of “rituals, rules, and restraints” that the Torah prescribed?


The Skeptic and the Rabbi is a rare memoir with historical depth, spirituality, and intelligent humor. Gruen writes with refreshing honesty about what it means to remain authentic to yourself while charting a new yet ancient spiritual path at odds with the surrounding culture, and writes touchingly about her family, including her two sets of grandparents, who influenced her in wildly opposite ways. As she navigates her new life with the man she loves and the faith she also loves?surviving several awkward moments, including when the rabbi calls to tell her that she accidentally served unkosher food to her Shabbat guests?Gruen brings the reader right along for the ride. Reading this wry, bold and compelling memoir, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and when you’re finished, you may also have a sudden craving for chicken matzo ball soup?kosher, of course.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author's Republic
• Release date: Sep 7, 2018
• ISBN: 9781982722906

Judy Gruen

Judy Gruen is the author of several award-winning humor books and coauthor of a book on MBA admissions. She has written for the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Saturday Evening Post, American Thinker, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Family Circle, Ladies’ Home Journal, Los Angeles Times, Northwestern, Woman’s Day, and many other media outlets. She has been quoted in The New York Times and Better Homes & Gardens, and has been a guest on many radio programs. Her writings on Jewish interest and spirituality have been featured on the websites Aish.com and ReadtheSpirit.com, as well as the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles and Jewish Action. She has also contributed to ten anthologies.

Reviews for The Skeptic and the Rabbi

[Judy Gruen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Judy Gruen’s latest book is a departure from her previous humor books. This one is a serious story about her rocky path to becoming an Orthodox Jew many years ago. I'm not Orthodox, but I still found this memoir warm, relatable, and often, laugh-out-loud funny. Narrator Susanna Burney is fantastic, and her voice is resonant and true.

Gruen is honest about her skepticism that Orthodoxy would be sexist and outdated, and I couldn't help but admire her for her willingness to face her fears by learning from Orthodox teachers, as she discovers that she had more prejudice than actual knowledge. This is a lesson that can be relevant to people of any faith (or no faith).
“The Skeptic and the Rabbi” makes Judaism really come to life, teaching it without preaching it. The tone is consistently positive and light-hearted, while also admitting that certain practices are hard to accept. A great book for anyone who is reviewing their own spiritual path and seeks more depth and meaning from it.